Kieran Maguire drops verdict on record-breaking Fulham deal – ‘expect to see more’
Fulham will not be the last Premier League club to partner with a betting sponsor despite the imminent Premier League gambling ban.
That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who spoke exclusively to Football Insider about Fulham’s latest sponsorship deal.
The Cottagers announced on Wednesday (28 June) that they reached a record-breaking agreement with the global betting brand SBOTOP to become the club’s new front-of-shirt sponsor.
The deal also includes SBOTOP gaining in-stadium brand presence as part of the deal.
The Premier League voted in April to ban all front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships from 2026/27 onwards, but Fulham’s multi-year deal with SBOTOP will run until the ban comes into effect.
Maguire believes betting companies will simply pivot to becoming sleeve sponsors and stadium sponsors once the ban is implemented in 2026.
“Fulham signing up with SBOTOP is indicative of the smoke and mirrors that have come from the Premier League regarding the end of gambling sponsorship,” Maguire told Football Insider’s Sean Fisher.
“It is also indicative that football clubs will take money from anywhere provided it doesn’t break any immediate rules.
“The human cost that comes from the gambling industry is effectively ignored.
“Expect to see more of the same.
“Burnley have also signed a sponsorship deal with a betting partner in the Premier League and this will continue right until the very end.
“All that will happen when the ban comes into effect is that gambling companies will swap into other advertising and sleeve sponsorship.“
In other news, Fulham tell West Ham new Joao Palhinha price